Chapter 8

Did you miss the beginning? Check out the links at the bottom of the article.

The next day, Paige unexpectedly had the day off while Jason made last minute preparations with the prep team. Aiden was thrilled that his mother was there to play with him on a weekday morning. After picking him up from kindergarten, she took him out to lunch at his favorite fast-food place and went to the library for story time. As the young woman read aloud from a child’s book, Paige gazed at her son comparing his features with those of his father who’s touch, and taste had consumed her thoughts all night long.

“Why do you keep staring at me Mommy?” he asked innocently when the story ended.

“Because I love you,” she answered.  He began looking around the kids’ section for books to check out. A few minutes later, he came back lugging a haphazard stack of about a dozen and heaved them on a small table.

“Be right back” he announced and started back for more shelves. Paige stopped him before he could clear the shelves entirely of books. He took after his mother when it came to reading. At five, he had already learned his alphabet and numbers and had begun reading words. Though he had a shelf full of books at home, Aiden was always in the mood for a new story.

“You may check out 5.” They walked to specific shelves and retrieved certain stories a little more selectively than his common practice of clearing the shelves one by one. Patiently, Paige sat down and helped whittle down the pile. They perused through the children’s movies and picked three to bring home. Rachael had not arrived by the time they got home so Paige set up a DVD in the front room and began to cook dinner; peeking on her son from time to time.

“Grandma,” Aiden cried as he jumped from the couch and ran into her open arms.

“My goodness, young man. You keep growing bigger and stronger. Pretty soon you will be taller than me.” He laughed at the absurdity of her claim and ran to grab the new library items.

“Can you read this one tonight?” he asked bringing over two books to his grandmother, one in each hand. Rachael, grocery bags in toe continued to the kitchen and dropped them on the counter. He followed and handed her the two books. One with a dalmatian puppy on the front, and one with a cartoon superhero.  While scanning the books, Aiden pulled out and climbed up a portable ladder to sit on the counter ready to pull food out of the bag for the women to put away. Once the bags were unpacked, he, under his mother’s watchful eye, jumped off the counter. Much to the dismay of the five-year-old; Grandma insisted on washing their hands for supper. They sat down to dinner where Rachael and Aiden ate hungerly however Paige hardly touched her food.

“You are thinking about him.” Rachael said once Aiden had cleared his spot and returned to the other room continuing along with the movie.

“He needs to know about Aiden before he leaves again.” While Rachael knew that Paige and Jason would begin their operation soon, she was not at liberty to know any details. Nor did she want to know.  “Can you put Aiden to bed tonight?” Paige asked pointedly. “Jason leaves later tonight.”

“Will you be coming home?” Rachael asked with a knowing smile. Paige blushed.

“Yes!!!”

The story continues. If you missed the first parts, go to https://the-armijo-signal.com/25286/entertainment/and-so-it-begins/, https://the-armijo-signal.com/25461/entertainment/mystery-authors-story-chapter-2/,  https://the-armijo-signal.com/25831/entertainment/mystery-authors-story-chapter-3/, https://the-armijo-signal.com/26214/entertainment/chapter-4-of-the-mystery-writers-story/,  https://the-armijo-signal.com/26465/entertainment/mystery-authors-story-chapter-5/,  https://the-armijo-signal.com/26862/uncategorized/mystery-authors-story-chapter-6/ and https://the-armijo-signal.com/27022/entertainment/27022/.